Born to it
by Queen of the West
Summary: What if Voldemort had had a daughter? How would the war have ended differently? I'm Cassi and I'm here to tell you that life is a lot different. Slight AU, a couple of characters live after the Last Battle, but that's because I need them. Hints at Dramoine with a lot of CharliexOC, FredxOC, RonxOC. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I've been on hiatus for a super long time so I decided to just start a new story. Sorry if you were totally enjoying my other stories, I just needed a fresh start**

**A/N: I do not own anything from the Harry Potter series. I own only the OCs**

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A woman was being marched into a large castle, screaming about her master coming back one day. A dark haired, nine year old girl stood beside a man with long, silver-blonde hair, her grey blue eyes hard and cold as she watched the woman. She turned away, closing her eyes. The man beside her placed a hand on her shoulder, looking down at her; this man was named Lucius Malfoy. At this moment in time, he was all the girl had. However, Lucius could not take the girl in, despite his sister-in-law's request, as he already had a three year old girl, a boy that was a little over five months old and his wife was pregnant again.

He took the girl's hand and the pair Disapparated with a pop. When they reappeared, they were in front of a line of houses. They looked fairly clean and the girl immediately realized the numbering on the houses was wrong as the numbers eleven and thirteen sat right next to each other. Just as she opened her mouth to make the observation to her uncle, another house began to squeeze itself between numbers eleven and thirteen. The girl watched in half awe, half fascination before being ushered up the stairs. Lucius knocked on the door, looking over his shoulder nervously. A house-elf answered the door, immediately ushering the pair inside.

The girl looked around the house with mild interest, slightly frightened of a few of the things she saw, but, being used to those in the group her mother had belonged to, did not show it. An elderly looking woman came around the corner and smiled when she saw Lucius. Her smile faltered slightly as she looked down at the girl.

"Who is this, Lucius?" the woman asked, looking hard at the girl. Despite being surprised by the woman's frank stare, the girl raised her little chin with all the pride due to her status.

"Walburga, this is Cassiopeia Gaunt Lestrange, Bellatrix's daughter by the Dark Lord," Lucius said, smiling down at the child. "She is, therefore, your great niece."

"Why did you bring her to me and not my father? Or even my aunt, her namesake? They would be better suited, don't you think?" Walburga replied sharply.

"Because your home is the best hidden and the girl will be safe with you."

Walburga nodded, pressing her lips together. "She looks like she won't be much trouble...I will take her in." Cassiopeia smiled at the woman, not even noticing when Lucius left the house. "Come now, child, let us take our supper; you must be hungry."

Cassiopeia's life with Walburga was one filled with comfort and spoiling by Walburga. Despite the old woman's words, she had truly been honored that she should be chosen to be the guardian of the Dark Lord's child. From her first day with her grandaunt to her last time to see the old woman two years later in August, Cassiopeia loved her life and knew that she was destined to be just as great as her father.

Those who visited Walburga in the two year span of Cassiopeia's life with the woman knew only that the girl's mother was Bellatrix and it was always assumed that her father must have been Rodolphus, Bellatrix's husband. Neither Walburga nor Cassiopeia disputed the thought, though they both badly wanted to, as it may have been dangerous for Cassiopeia when she went to Hogwarts. Another trait of Cassiopeia's unknown to all but herself was that she could speak to snakes; she had inherited her father's Parseltongue abilities. This was one of Cassiopeia's proudest accomplishments and she kept her own little secret in order to keep herself safe from those who wouldn't understand.

The day her grandaunt had officially added young Cassiopeia to the Black Family tree had also been the day before she went to Hogwarts. Walburga had carefully added a dashed line from Bellatrix's name to the name Lord Voldemort and then added a vertical line down to Cassiopeia's name. Also, Walburga added a portrait of the girl to the tree. Cassiopeia had been proud of the smirking, winking rendering of herself, almost as proud as she was of the portrait that hung in the room she had lived in; the portrait was of her when she was nine and, behind her, stood her parents, Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix. In the foreground, Cassiopeia smiled and tossed her wavy hair, her grey blue eyes laughing and her parents had looked down at her proudly, often sharing a look over the girl's head.

Cassiopeia was officially part of the ancient house of Black and she couldn't have been happier as she rode on the Hogwarts Express toward the school. She sat next to a window, watching as the landscape slipped by quickly. She hardly even noticed when a red-haired boy entered the compartment and sat across from her. She was unconcerned with anything in the world save what was on her mind.

"What are you looking at?" the boy finally asked, startling Cassiopeia out of her daydreams of being reunited with both of her parents.

"Nothing...I'm thinking," she had said, reservedly, turning her attention to the boy; though he was not handsome as most of the men in her family, there was a wildness about him that made Cassiopeia immediately take a liking to him.

"What about?" the boy pressed, a smile on his freckled face.

"My parents."

"Won't you see them again during the Christmas break?"

"...no, I fear it will be a long time before I ever see my parents again..." Cassiopeia murmured wistfully.

The boy went quiet for a moment, uncertain on how to respond to the statement. "I...My name's Charlie Weasley," he finally decided to say.

Cassiopeia turned her head and smiled at him. "Cassiopeia Black," she responded with ease. Though she was Bellatrix's daughter, she had adopted her mother's maiden name soon after being placed with Walburga.

Charlie smiled. "That's a pretty name...d'ya mind if I call you Cassi?" he asked nervously. Cassiopeia knew that his could be dangerous, allowing this boy a pet name for her, but she liked the name better than hers.

"Of course you may," she said, smiling benevolently. The boy's ears got a little red as he ducked his head.

The pair rode the rest of the way to Hogwarts in comfortable silence, punctuated only once when the snack cart came round.

Charlie had once again ducked his head, his ears a bright pink as he said, "No, thank you...brought some from home..." Cassi had seen him looking longingly at the food.

The girl had smiled and bought a large amount of food she knew she could never eat by herself and offered the majority of it to her new friend. Charlie was grateful enough and, when his brother had looked in a few minutes later, a little smug. Cassi had shaken her head as she watched the two brothers banter back and forth. She had never before wished she had a sibling, but, watching the pair, she almost allowed herself to want.

When they finally arrived at Hogwarts, Cassi rode in the same boat as Charlie, already bonded with him enough to consider him safe. When they arrived in the huge castle, they were lined up in order by their last names, separating the two new friends. The line of first years were marched into the Great Hall and called, one at a time, to put on the Sorting Hat. Cassi didn't have to wait very long before it was her turn and she was confident of her placement.

As she sat on the stool, she let herself think about her new friend, Charlie; no matter what houses they would be put in, she was confident that they would stay friends. She smiled contentedly, her mind at ease until she heard the dreaded word that radically changed her life forever.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat declared. Cassi stood and numbly walked to the Gryffindor table. She had never felt more disgraced in her life; a Black, more importantly a Gaunt, a descendant of Slytherin himself, had been placed in Gryffindor. She buried her face in her arms, fighting the tears that threatened. She didn't even try to listen to the other first years getting Sorted and, therefore, missed Charlie sitting next to her. She only became aware of his presence when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"C'mon, Cassi...what's wrong?" he whispered in her ear.

"My grandaunt will never forgive me..." Cassi managed to choke out, a tear finally escaping her crowded eyes. Charlie frowned, wiping the tears away before wrapping his arms around his friend and hugging her.

Cassi had never been hugged; Walburga was afraid she might contaminate the beauty that was the darling of the Dark Lord and, before that, all Death Eaters had been warned not to touch the little girl for fear of immediate death. She found that the sensation was not all around uncomfortable and that she could hug the boy back by wrapping her arms around his waist. She felt so comforted by this touch that she felt empty when Charlie finally pulled away and offered a comforting smile that Cassi returned.

Cassi didn't know it, but she needn't have worried about her grandaunt hearing of her placement in Gryffindor as the woman had taken ill soon after returning home from taking Cassi to the train station. Walburga lived into the next year, but was too ill to realize what Cassi told her in her numerous letters. Cassi could not be sorry that her grandaunt was never truly aware of the girl's "disgrace," but was flushed with pleasure when she was told the house on Grimmauld Place now belonged to her. Cassi was, strangely, not sad when she heard about her grandaunt's death, however, she was worried about who she would live with after that year.

It wasn't a difficult decision; Lucius had a need for someone to help his wife take care of the three small children and, after the house on Grimmauld Place, the Malfoy manor was the safest place for the girl. Her placing in Gryffindor was not discussed in her new home and, after one summer, she was so fed up with the oppression from her uncle and aunt's unspoken dislike and distrust of her that she begged to go stay with her friend for the end of the summer.

Cassi and Charlie had stayed in touch and now, when she could no longer stand the Malfoy manor, it was to Charlie and his family that she reached out to. With two weeks left before term, Cassi left the Malfoy manor and moved all of her belongings to the Burrow. It had been kept from the Malfoy family until the day Arthur Weasley came to pick the girl up. Lucius had been outraged by his niece's defection to the "enemy," but had been unable to stop the headstrong twelve year old.

By the time Cassi and Charlie were in their fifth year at Hogwarts, they were both made Prefects and Cassi was basically another Weasley. However, Cassi's fifth year was the first year for her cousin, Fae Malfoy. While Fae was not particularly fond of Dark Magic, were she to be put in Gryffindor or, worse, Hufflepuff, the silent sleights by her parents would tear down the eleven year old. Cassi sat in her seat next to Charlie whose arm was wrapped loosely around her waist, she craned her neck to see over the other students' heads to look for her younger cousin.

"You're worried for nothing, Cassi...she'll be a good little Malfoy and be sorted into Slytherin," Charlie said lazily, glancing up at Cassi.

"You know how my Uncle is. He will be absolutely abominable to her if she is in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff," Cassi replied.

"I doubt she'll be sorted into either," Charlie replied obstinately.

"You are a disagreeable beast, Charles," she said, pulling away from the boy.

"Oi! You like this beast," Charlie replied, sitting up and reaching toward her.

"I don't know...I may actually like Percy more...he doesn't disagree with me," Cassi retorted, smiling at the third year who immediately went a spectacular red.

"Of course he doesn't; he can't even speak around you," Charlie said, frowning at his brother. Percy ducks his head, unable to look at either of the two older students.

Cassi crosses her arms, frowning back at Charlie, her eyes glittering dangerously at him. Charlie tilts his head, then takes her chin in his hand and kisses her lightly on the lips. "I don't like it when we fight..." he whispers.

"You only dislike it when I'm winning..." Cassi replies, blushing furiously, but allowing Charlie to wrap his arm around her again. Charlie smiled, unwilling to respond to her bait.

Cassi sighed happily as the First Years were marched in and the Sorting Hat sang its yearly song before starting the Sorting. Without realizing it, Cassi held her breath as she waited for her cousin to be called. The Sorting Hat was placed on the girl's head and, only seconds later, Cassi sighed with relief.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat declared, to the cheers of the Ravenclaw table. Though it wasn't Slytherin, being Sorted into Ravenclaw, a house for only the smartest of young wizards, was second best in the minds of the Malfoys.

Fae, a fine-boned eleven year old with silvery-blonde hair and purple-blue eyes, hopped off the stool, replacing the hat to its place before skipping over to Ravenclaw table. Cassi sent her cousin a small smile which was immediately returned. Cassi settled herself against Charlie's chest, relaxing for the first time since she had arrived in the Great Hall.

Fred and George, Charlie's younger twin brothers were sorted into Gryffindor like their older brothers. The similarities between the Weasley children went even further than all being in Gryffindor; from their oldest brother, Bill, to the youngest, baby Ginny, all Weasleys had bright red hair and freckles. There were small differences between the boys, though, as some, like Charlie, Fred and George, took after their mother and were a little stouter while the others took after their father and were tall and thin.

After the feast was over and Dumbledore had given his speech, Charlie and Cassi led their new recruits up to the Gryffindor Common Room. Once the first years were safely settled, Cassi and Charlie met each other in the Common Room. Cassi smiled up at Charlie, her grey blue eyes sparkling. Charlie smiled back, taking her chin in his hand and giving her a light kiss on the mouth, then another on her forehead. Cassi smiled as she turned and walked up to the dormitory shared by all the other fifth year girls. Cassi could never dream of a better life, but something bothered her, something she would have to change if she were ever to be at peace.

"I will tell him one day," she murmured to herself as she laid down in her four poster and started to fall asleep. "When I can trust him."

Cassi and Charlie both planned to skip their seventh year so they could study dragons in Romania. The day before term let out for their sixth year, Cassi decided to finally tell Charlie about her family. Cassi had always been nervous about admitting to Charlie about her parentage, especially her father, but, now, she felt she could trust the man she had fallen in love with.

"Hey, Charlie, can you walk with me?" Cassi asked during the time between two of the exams that day, smiling at her boyfriend.

"Yeah, of course," Charlie said, taking her hand gently and walking with her down near the lake.

"I've been thinking about talking to you about who my parents are," Cassi said quietly, taking a breath before continuing. "My mother is Bellatrix Lestrange and my father is...was...Voldemort."

Charlie's reaction was instant and instinctive as he pulled his hand away from Cassi and stared at her as though she were the plague. "You're lying."

"No...I'm not, Charlie...my full name is Cassiopeia Gaunt Lestrange-Black...I'm also a Parselmouth," Cassi said, reaching out to touch him.

Charlie backed away. "No, no way. I can't...I..." Charlie turned and ran away. Cassi stared after him, her eyes wide. She gulped back a sob, then turned and ran toward the Forbidden Forest, tears streaming down her cheeks. She ran deep into the woods, then sat with her back against one of the trees, burying her face in her crossed arms. She had never been more hurt by anyone, and now, more than ever, she felt alone. She sobbed loudly, not scared at all of the topiary of beasts that she knew lived in the forest. She was never going to allow anyone to make her feel this way again; not Charlie, not anyone. Cassi was done feeling anything anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

**I actually had the first two chapters already written so I decided to give you both of them. :-)**

**A/N: I do not own anything from the Harry Potter series. I own only the OCs**

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Chapter One:

Life After Love

Cassi spent five years in Romania, happy to lose herself in her work with the dragons. After that last day, she hadn't spoken to Charlie Weasley, had avoided him at all costs in order to avoid the pain. Even now, at twenty-one and a successful dragon wrangler, she was able to transfer out of any sites she knew Charlie was at without him even knowing. However, the person she faced at this moment threatened to ruin her carefully avoidance of all things that had to do with Charlie Weasley.

"Please, Cassiopeia, you're the only one who Kreacher will listen to because Walburga included you in the family tree," Dumbledore pleaded, looking into the girl's eyes.

Cassi sighed, looking down at her hands. "Fine, I will go, but you know they are looking for me, don't you know that? They are going to tear the world apart searching for the 'Princess of the Dark Lord,'" she said softly, standing slowly. "I will not stick around if they get too close."

"If it comes to that, no one will blame you for leaving," Dumbledore replied, smiling as he stood as well. The pair Disapparated to Grimmauld Place. None of the Order was there yet, they weren't due to return until two days later. Cassi smiled as she watched the house squeeze itself into existence, remembering the two years she had spent there with her grandaunt. She walked through the door and was greeted by the portrait of Walburga.

"The prodigal grandniece returns," the portrait said, smiling down at Cassi. "I have missed you, dear."

"I've missed you two, Grandaunt," she said, smiling as she continued walking. A small figure ran up to her, hugging her around the knees.

"You're back, Mistress! Please tell the blood traitors they can't come to the house!" Kreacher exclaimed, looking up at Cassi pleadingly.

"No can do, Kreacher, I'm with the blood traitors," Cassi said, smiling down at the house elf. Kreacher's face fell as he pulled away. He glared up at Cassi before skulking off. Cassi smiled after the house elf before turning to Dumbledore. "He won't be much trouble to us anymore." Dumbledore smiles and nods, turning back to the door. "Oh, and don't tell any of the other members that I'm here...it could be dangerous for them to know where I am."

Dumbledore nodded before turning and walking out of the house. Cassi watched him leave, then walked to the room she had lived in for two years and smiled up at the portrait. She walked out of the room almost as quickly, unwilling to look at her parents for more than a few minutes. She went to the basement, as good a place as any to hide while she pretended she didn't have a chance of seeing Charlie again. Even his name made her heart ache and, deep down, she wished she had refused to come with Dumbledore.

Kreacher walked up to Cassi, glaring at her. Cassi shook her head, when Kreacher opened his mouth. "I'm going to leave soon to go to the Dark Lord, but you will tell no one where I went. Also, you will do as you are told by any of the other members of the Order, do you understand?" she said, raising a brow at the house elf. Kreacher nodded quickly before turning and going back up the stairs.

She leaned her head back against a wall and closed her eyes. She hadn't meant to fall asleep, hadn't even realized how tired she was until she was already dreaming.

It was one of her standard dreams: she was flying on a dragon, a dream she wished could come true, but this dream was different, this time she wasn't alone. Two arms were wrapped around her waist and everytime she tried to turn and look at the man behind her, he ducked out of her line of vision. She laughed happily, obviously happy with the man who rode behind her. It almost ruined the dream, thinking of being happy with anyone anymore, but it was a nice notion, so she allowed herself the indulgence.

Cassi awoke with a start, looking around in confusion. It took her a moment to remember where she was, then relaxing when she recognized the basement of Grimmauld Place, she stood to her feet. Cassi wrapped her arms around her body, walking back up the stairs and up to her room where she changed into a black and green blouse with silver stitching and a tight, knee-length black skirt and black ankle boots. She looked at herself in the full-length mirror, pushing her sleeve up and looking at the reflection of the tattoo on her arm; it was of a skull with a snake coming out of the mouth and wrapping back around the skull. It was a Dark Mark tattoo, a tattoo she had gotten when she was four years old and her father was at the height of his power.

Cassi quickly pulled the sleeve back down and slipped her black cape over her shoulders and tied it at her throat by a ribbon. She ran one hand through her hair, then walked out of the house before Disapparating and Apparating to a large house. She smiled as she walked in, ignoring the underling Death Eaters that fawned over her. She walked straight up to a pale man with two slits for a nose and red eyes, a smile still on her face.

"Ah, my beautiful daughter...returns to me," Voldemort says, standing.

"Father...please, sit, you need to rest," Cassi said, smiling at Voldemort.

"I am strong enough, dear Cassiopeia. Now, has that old fool allowed you into the Order?"

"Yes, Father and expects me to be a spy for him," Cassi says, a smile playing across her lips. Voldemort returned the smile, nodding to her.

"Perfect, but, surely, you will stay for a few weeks?" the Dark Lord asked, tilting his head at her.

Cassi nodded, turning to her mother. "Hello, Bellatrix," she murmured.

"Hello, princess," Bellatrix purred back, smiling at her daughter. Cassi walked away and deeper into the house.

She walked up the stairs and into a room with a chestnut wood desk. a canopy bed and a large mirror with a golden frame. She walked over to the desk and pulled out a sheet of parchment, a quill and a bottle of ink; her two cousins, Fae and Mariann Malfoy, were still at Hogwarts, finishing up their year, but she needed them to know she was waiting for them. Fae was in her sixth year and planning to become a Healer when she finished school in a year, but she had one flaw that, if found out, could ruin her in the eyes of her Death Eater family: she was currently dating Fred Weasley. Mariann's first problem was that she, like Cassi, had been sorted into Gryffindor, but she had another problem, she, too, was dating a Weasley.

Darlings Mariann and Fae,

I have just arrived at the old Riddle house and am anxiously waiting for you to arrive so that we can talk. I have missed you both and can't wait for our trip. Please write back soon as I am very lonely.

Love,

Cassi

Cassi rolled up the parchment and called her long eared owl, Circe, to her and gave the owl the note. Circe hooted softly before flying out the window. Cassi leaned back in the chair she sat in, closing her eyes. Her mind floated back to Grimmauld Place and what was to take place there when she went back in July. Cassi knew that it was inevitable that Charlie would be there and that she couldn't make him leave, but she could ignore him, pretend he wasn't there. Though she hated having to avoid the one person she had ever truly loved, if she didn't stay as far away from him as she could, she wouldn't be able to handle herself and she knew it.

She slowly stood and took the blouse and skirt off, slipping on a pair of jeans instead. She was rifling through her drawers to find a top when she heard the door open. She turned her head to look over her shoulder; Snape stood in the doorway, not even trying to close his eyes against Cassi's nearly completely bared torso. She raised a brow at him before pulling a t-shirt out of the drawer and put it on.

"What do you need, Severus?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Lord Voldemort has asked that you join us for the meeting," Snape replied, his mouth twisted into a snarl.

Cassi sighed, nodding as she picked up her cloak and tying it around her neck before following Snape down to the dining room where the rest of the Death Eaters were sitting around the table. She sat in the chair on Voldemort's right, leaning her chin on her hand and watching without much interest as her father and other Death Eaters discussed the Order reforming. Cassi was basically uninterested in the reports and therefore did not pay attention, only pulling herself out of her daydreams when her father asked her about her infiltration into the Order.

"I have their trust completely and they will allow me to leave whenever I need," she said, smiling at her father demurely.

"I have a perfect daughter who perfectly fits into the role of spy for us, just as Severus has done," Lord Voldemort hissed, smiling evilly.

Cassi slipped back into a reverie until her father called an end to the meeting. Cassi stood immediately and walked back to her room. She didn't know what she would do until her cousins finished school though she considered returning to Romania for the duration. She lay on the giant canopy bed and staring at the ceiling through a hole in the canopy. Slowly, her eyes started to close and she gave in to sleep.

Cassi lived in the Riddle house for two weeks before her cousins arrived. She had slept most of the time, unable to rouse herself from the bed. House elves had brought her food to her and a Medic Wizard was called in, but there didn't seem to be anything anyone could do. Cassi herself was uncertain of what was wrong with her. Deep down she suspected it had something to do with the inevitable meeting with Charlie, but she pushed the thought as for from her mind as she could.

Cassi was just waking up from another of her naps when her cousins ran into her room and jumped on her bed. Cassi sat straight up, smiling at the younger girls. She searched first Fae's eyes, then Mariann's for any danger before pulling them into a tight hug. "When are we leaving?" breathed Mariann, her voice low.

"Father has given me permission to move both of you tomorrow so as to garner more trust with any that may still doubt my loyalty," Cassi replied evenly.

"To whom do your loyalties truly lie?" Fae asked, her already soft voice, quieting further.

"To those who have loved me despite, inspite or without knowledge of my parentage," Cassi replied quickly, using the phrase that would soothe only her cousins.

Fae smiled while Mariann stood and began to change into clothes she was more comfortable in. "Lucius said you weren't feeling well," Mariann said, conversationally.

"I've been sleeping a lot, but that's about the extent of it. They've been worrying for nothing, really," Cassi sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Are you sure you're going to be able to Apparate with both of us tomorrow?" Fae asked gently, her eyes worried.

"Yes, I'm sure; I told you, I'm not sick," Cassi replied, smiling. "Sleep well, we leave at dawn."

Fae smiled and nodded, as she walked over to the door on the right side of the room. "See you both in the morning, then!"

Mariann and Cassi watched her, then looked at each other. "How has she been?" Cassi whispered.

"She's...dealing with it...I think she's just very relieved you're taking us away from here," Mariann responded softly.

"And what about you? How did Ron take it when you told him you were going to the Headquarters of the Deatheaters?"

Mariann shrugged, looking down. "He wasn't happy about it...but I couldn't tell him that you were going to be bringing me to the Order two days into the holidays."

Cassi sighed, hugging her cousin. "I know, it's hard..."

Mariann sighed, then pulled back. "You know Charlie's in the Order, right?" she asked warily.

Cassi ran a hand through her bangs and nodded. "Yes, I am aware of Charlie's involvement in the Order, but I'm the only one that Kreacher listens to."

Mariann frowned, then hugged Cassi again before going through the same door Fae had disappeared through moments before. Cassi watched her cousin walk away, then flopped back on her bed and stared at the ceiling, her head pounding. Maybe she really was dreading seeing Charlie again, maybe she was scared that she would get found out. She didn't care, all she wanted to do was sleep until the whole bloody mess sorted itself out.

The dream came almost the moment Cassi close her eyes. She was following someone thin wearing a black cloak. She was a good deal shorter than whoever she was following and she knew almost immediately that she was a child despite watching through her own eyes. The person in front of her stopped walking and turned slowly toward her and she looked up at them. It was her father, Voldemort.

"Come, my little Princess...we have a family to visit," he whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Cassi felt her blood run cold as she followed him into a house, watching passively as he killed first a man, then a woman as she attempted to guard her son. Cassi stood beside the crib where the tiny, crying creature lay, screaming its head off. "Daddy...make it be quiet," she heard her nine year old self murmur.

Voldemort smiled, raising his wand and uttering the killing curse. Everything went wrong in that moment. Cassi flew across the room landing in the rubble. She vaguely remembered the baby crying, but, now, she felt sorry for him because he was all alone in the world.

Cassi sat straight up in her bed, covered in a cold sweat and breathing hard. She had never forgotten that day, but it was only now that something occurred to her: before that night, she had been completely emotionless; had never cried, screamed, thrown a fit or anything that a normal child would do. She had asked Voldemort to make a crying baby be quiet because it was too loud and, after the killing curse, she wanted to help it. She buried her face in her hands as the memory washed over her anew. She had been there the night the Potters had been killed, their son miraculously saved and her father faced his downfall. She reached up and traced the scar that ran from her jaw to her collar bone.

Just like that last night when she was nine, she remembered the day she got the Dark Mark tattoo. More than just giving her the tattoo, her father had taken something from her. That night her had made himself her hallow. Because she was so young, he had accidentally taken her whole soul. At least, he had said it was an accident. That night in Godric's Hollow, the little boy who lived, had given her a piece of himself; a tiny piece of his soul dislodged by her father's killing curse. How had it made its way into her, she didn't know, but she did know that it was something she could never tell anyone.

She took a deep, steadying breath and glanced out her window where the sun was just starting to turn the horizon red. It was time to wake up her cousins and leave before any of the Death Eaters woke up. Her revelation would have to wait until a later date to be pondered at a larger scale.


	3. Chapter 3

So, be prepared to be surprised.

**A/N: I do not own anything except my OCs.**

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Chapter Two:

Dear Agony

Charlie wandered around the house on Grimmauld Place, unsure of what he should be doing when he heard voices coming from a room above him. He paused, then slowly made his way up the stairs, fear slowly starting course through him. He stopped outside the door to the room the voices seemed to be coming from.

"I told you you weren't strong enough to Apparate all three of us," a soft, worried voice muttered. "Your nose is bleeding."

"I'm fine, Fae," a second voice hissed back. "Let go of me."

Charlie knew that voice, knew it better than any other in the world though he hadn't heard it in years. "Cassi?" he asked, walking through the door, staring at the three women standing in the room.

"I- Well-...yes, I need to be going," Cassi said, wiping the blood from under her nose as she pushed past Charlie. Charlie watched her walk away, feeling as though the air had been knocked out of him. He hadn't seen the raven haired beauty in five years and, now, he wished he had been able to talk to her.

"She really is happy to see you, Charlie, honest...she's just...well...you know what you did," the younger of the two remaining girls said, her gray eyes flashing. "You can't really expect her to want to talk to you after that."

Charlie turned and stared at the girl. "What?" he asked, dumbfounded. "I haven't seen her for years and the last time I spoke to her was before one of our exams."

"Before? But she told you about her parents after," Fae said, frowning.

"No, I went to the common room to grab a new quill because I couldn't find mine when I left my Transfiguration exam," Charlie said, frowning. "And after that, she wouldn't talk to me."

Fae and Mariann stared at Charlie, then looked at each other. "Cassi thinks you rejected her after finding out who her parents were," Fae whispered.

"I didn't find out until the whole school was whispering about it."

"She also thinks you started the rumor," Mariann said, frowning. "Then who pretended to be you long enough to hurt Cassi?"

Charlie shook his head, frowning. "I didn't know what I had done wrong; I thought she was just upset about a test she thought she had done poorly on and would get over it."

Mariann and Fae looked at each other, then up at Charlie. "We'll try to tell her, but Cassi hates being wrong almost as bad as she hates being rejected," Fae warned, gliding past Charlie, leaving Mariann in the room with him.

"Do you hate me, then?" Charlie asked, frowning.

"I don't hate you; I hate that my cousin gave up on a man she claimed to have loved and that that man didn't fight harder to get her back," Mariann said before walking past Charlie.

Charlie stayed where he was, unable to think, much less move. He had just seen Cassi for the first time in five years, only to learn that she hated him for something he hadn't done. He moved to turn around when he finally noticed the only thing in the room he had been standing in: a portrait. He stepped closer to the portrait and saw that it was a much younger Cassi, smiling and tossing her hair with her parents, Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix LeStrange, standing behind her and exchanging proud looks.

Cassi was beautiful, Charlie would never deny that, but this painting of her looked off. It was as though there were something missing. The girl's hair, face and body were what could be expected of a girl that age, but her eyes were dead. Her mouth made a smile that didn't reach her eyes and the effect was chilling. It was almost like this girl was Cassi without a soul, without emotions. This was Cassi long before Charlie had known her.

Charlie stepped away from the disturbing picture and walked out of the room, pushing the image out of his mind. Just as he was jogging down the stairs, he heard the door open. He looked up and saw his parents, brothers, minus Percy, and Ginny walk through the door. He was surprised at the brooding looks on Fred and Ron's faces, but ignored them as he hugged his mother.

He stepped back and surveyed his family, swallowing hard before speaking. "Erm...well, you have good timing. Cassi just got here with Fae and Mariann," he said, barely finishing the sentence before Fred and Ron bolted past him and up the stairs.

Charlie's mother chuckled as she watched them. "They've been worrying nonstop about those girls...how did Cassi get them away from the Death Eaters?" she asked, frowning with worry. "She might have gotten captured...she should be more careful."

"Why would the Death Eaters want to capture her?" Charlie asked. He knew she was Voldemort's daughter, but after all the years she had been raised and influenced by people formerly of the Order, she would be less likely to join the Death Eaters.

"Haven't you heard? Voldemort's looking to have her as his right hand as he tries again to take over the wizarding community," Arthur, Charlie's father, replied. "From what Dumbledore said, it's all she can do to stay one step ahead of them."

Charlie frowned; when he had seen Cassi she was wearing clothes typical of Death Eaters. It was almost like she had been there, blending in, a part of the fearsome group. "Are you sure? Because-"

"Oh! Mrs. Weasley! It's so good to see you," Cassi said, brushing coldly past Charlie to embrace his mother. "I did so enjoy your last letter."

Mrs. Weasley smiled. "I hoped it would get to you before you left Romania, did it then?"

"Yes, yes! Just before Dumbledore showed up," she said, her gray-blue eyes laughing. "Have you brought her, then? I have missed her so."

"No, she is coming with Hermione. I knew they wouldn't look for her with a Muggle family," Mrs. Weasley responded, shaking her head. "Dr. and Dr. Granger were only too happy to take her in for as long as they could."

Cassi sighed, nodding. "Good, good...I can't believe she's almost five," she murmured, looking a little sad.

"It's been a year, you must have missed her so much."

"I'm sorry, who are we talking about?" Charlie asked, having listened to the exchange feeling as though he were missing a vital piece of information.

Cassi swallowed, looking away. "Then you didn't tell him?" she asked, the question directed at Mrs. Weasley.

"I told you I wouldn't," the older woman responded, drawing herself up.

Cassi looked up slowly, biting her lip. "We were talking about my daughter, Molly," she whispered. It would have come out when the little girl came to the house with Hermione, but Cassi had never wanted Charlie to know about her.

"Molly?" Charlie asked slowly, his eyes sliding to his mother.

Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips, glancing at Cassi, silently encouraging her to continue. "I wanted her to have something from her father since she didn't have his last name," Cassi said reluctantly, looking away.

Charlie stared, the pieces slowly coming together. "Who's her father?" he asked dumbly.

Rather than answering, Cassi spun on her heel and walked away quickly. "You know full well who Molly's father is, Charlie," Mrs. Weasley said, her hands going to her hips. "Wait until you see her; takes after him more than her mother." With that, Mrs. Weasley walked away as well, leaving Charlie standing in the entrance alone with his thoughts.

Cassi had never said she might be pregnant in those last days at Hogwarts. Sure, they had given into each other on a number of occasions that last year, usually in the Room of Requirement, but Charlie was always so careful. He walked slowly up the stairs, pausing when he remembered the last time. It had been right before an exam and they had rushed to get to the class on time. He sighed, making his way to the room he had claimed for himself and lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

He had a daughter. A daughter named Molly who looked like him. A daughter with Cassi, the only woman he had ever loved. He had missed her sorely, never knowing why she had suddenly stopped talking to him. He brought his hands up to cover his face, feeling like more than the oblivious git he knew he was. How could he have just let things end the way they had between Cassi and himself? He had known from the day they had first met on the train that he loved her. so why had he given up?

The next few days, Cassi stayed holed up in her room, only coming out for meals before locking herself away again. If they made eye contact at all, Charlie looked away quickly, unable to bear the sadness that emanated from her. When, yet again, there was a knock at the front door, Charlie was closest and, without thinking, answered it. On the doorsteps stood two Muggles, Hermione Granger, a four-year-old, red-headed girl. The little girl peered up at Charlie from behind Hermione, then her wide blue-gray eyes flickered to someone behind him.

The toddler grinned. "Mommy!" she exclaimed, running past Charlie and into Cassi's arms. "Mommy..."

Cassi hugged the little girl close to her, her eyes squeezed shut. "Hey, Molly-bear..." she murmured.

Even from the short glance Charlie had had, he knew the ginger-haired girl was his daughter, freckles and all. Charlie slowly walked over to Cassi. "Cass..." he murmured.

Cassi looked up, emotions fighting in her eyes. "Molly, sweet...this is your daddy. Do you want to meet him?" she asked, looking at the adorable child.

"Daddy?" Molly asked, looking at her mother who nodded. "Daddy!" She leaned out of her mother's arms into Charlie's, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Daddy..."

Charlie sighed, holding her close as he rocked slowly. He looked down at Cassi and could almost believe they were a real family, that this wasn't the first time he had held this precious little girl in his arms. "I love you, Cassiopeia Gaunt Lestrange-Black," he whispered.

Cassi stared up at him, her gray-blue eyes wide. What would she say? Charlie wondered as Cassi opened her mouth. Did she love him back or was it wishful thinking on his part that he saw a gleam of the old love that had once shone from those luminous eyes?

* * *

**Well? What do y'all think so far? Please R&R...it makes me happy to see what y'all think.**


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